Crowley challenges critics

Sunday

Mayor Charles Crowley has been criticized by some City Councilors for using reserves to balance the 2008 budget, but the mayor says it’s no big deal and challenges his critics to do better.

Mayor Charles Crowley has been criticized by some City Councilors for using reserves to balance the 2008 budget, but the mayor says it’s no big deal and challenges his critics to do better.The $159.3 million spending plan utilizes $3.5 million from the stabilization fund to keep the city in the black. The proposal leaves $1.6 million in savings.Crowley touted his plan, which is highlighted with a $732,000 bump in public works spending, as putting taxpayer dollars to work. There are no layoffs in his budget.The council will begin debating the spending plan on June 4. Councilors can cut, but not increase spending. Crowley says it is the best option for the city considering a serious drop off in revenues.

Q: Does your fiscal 2008 budget provide for everything the city needs?A: Not everything. It does provide for a lot of the needs, but it doesn’t provide for all the wants.We don’t have a lot of money to do everything we want, but we’re making effective use out of the money we do have.Q: What does it leave out that you deem important?A: There’s a lot of roads that still need to be done that we can’t do. The fire department needs a new pumper, the police department needs cruisers.We’re working on a plan over the summer to fund that equipment in the supplemental budget.Q: How are the decisions made with regard to what is funded and what is not?A: We had about $11 million in requests that came in above what the budget was. I had to cut $11 million.There was a lot of equipment and technology in City Hall that has been needed for years. There’s a lot of things we’re moving on. We just have to use common sense to get the most for what we’re spending.Q: You used reserve funds to balance this budget, which drew criticism from some councilors. Was their criticism fair?A: They’re apparently not paying attention. When I took office there was only $2.1 million in reserve, that’s a $500,000 difference (from the proposed budget). The free cash from the previous year came in a few weeks ago and that increased it over $5 million.They weren’t concerned about the reserves in March. I think most of those criticisms were politically motivated.Q: Do you consider spending city savings to balance the budget sound fiscal practice?A: The question is, how much money in stabilization is needed to have a stable financial future? There is still plenty in free cash. We have a strategy to bring revenue into stabilization through the fall with revenues from land sales and other sources.The big question is, what would they do? Would they suggest leaving $3 million in stabilization and lay off 60 police officers, firefighters and DPW workers? You use [reserves] to provide the services. That’s who we are, that’s what we do.Q: You made funding the department of public works a priority, why?A: That’s what the people want. I’ve kept my ear to the ground in my 20 years as a councilor and that’s what I’ve heard — roads, roads, roads.We don’t want to be known as the pothole city; we want to be known as a city on the move.Q: How difficult was it for you coming into the budget process so late?A: Not really. As a councilor I’ve been here for years, I’ve been following what’s going on, I’ve been on the finance committee and I’ve spoken with Gill Enos and Mayor [Robert G.] Nunes.You have the experts in place and you listen to them.I have my fingerprints on this budget. It focuses on public safety, the DPW, services for the elderly. I’m very excited about the new budget, but you always get criticisms in the city. There are a lot of people who want to sit in my chair.Q: If the city faces the same revenue problems next year as it has this year, how would you propose handling it?A: We would be preparing well before hand. We came in with a spending freeze in place, we won’t spend every penny in this budget and that will help us with free cash next year.Q: As the council begins its deliberations on the budget, is this a cutable spending plan?A: No. The council has the authority to cut, they can’t reallocate money. If you cut something, you have to have a reason. Everything in this budget is a valuable service.I’m not going to spend money we don’t have.

sspitler@tauntongazette.com

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